Jackson Purchase News

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the Secret Service.

"Since the Senate last convened, our nation has seen two attempts to circumvent the American people’s right to choose their leaders.

"The first, of course, was the first time in more than a century that a former President of the United States was shot in an attempted assassination. That happened to Theodore Roosevelt.

"This murderous assault on our democratic process very nearly robbed millions of Americans of their choice for the next President.

"It’s been reassuring to see Americans united in their horror at this brazen act of political violence. The near-disaster on July 13th violated the trust of the American public. And restoring that trust will require transparency and accountability.

"I said at the outset that the resignation of the Director of the Secret Service would be an important step in that direction. And I’m encouraged she’s taken that step today.

"The Director is on record describing her agency’s responsibilities as, ‘a zero fail mission’. Clearly, on July 13th, the Secret Service did fail that mission.

"The important questions now are why and how. And apart from internal inquiries and FBI investigations, Congress’ oversight authority entitles us to answers.

"Yesterday, the House Oversight committee spent hours questioning the Director of the Secret Service. Unfortunately, the Senate majority hasn’t yet showed any intention of conducting oversight of its own.

"Democrats who so often express concern about threats to democracy have yet to look seriously at the failures of the Secret Service.

"The Judiciary Committee, for its part, appeared to be more concerned with resurrecting failed judicial nominations than in getting to the bottom of the first near-assassination of a former president in a hundred years.

"Until earlier today, Chairman Durbin apparently intended to spend Committee time taking another look at radical Judge Sarah Netburn, a nominee his own Committee rejected once for engaging in political activism from bench and lying about her actions under oath.

"It’s crickets at Homeland Security Committee as well. Chairman Peters has three meetings on calendar for this week but not one about near-assassination of a former President.

"A former President came within an inch his life just days ago. An innocent participant great tradition American campaigns was killed; two other attendees were seriously wounded."

McConnell concluded by emphasizing need for answers: "The American people deserve know how this happened what steps are being taken ensure it won’t happen again."

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